As you might expect, due to the unexpected death of one of my best friends, I’ve been thinking about my life goals. (Don’t worry, you don’t need to find a private place to read this post. We’ve done enough public weeping* for right now; it’s time for a break.)
The funny thing is that my long-term “bucket list” goals are not what I’ve been thinking about and adjusting. Yes, things like “Go on a Hiking Trip with the Professor” or “Learn to Surf” are still my big picture life goals, and I am excited about them. But it’s the short-term, how-do-I-get-there-from-here goals that I’ve been thinking about.
So…
If I want to go hiking for more than a few miles, I need to buy hiking gear.
If I’m going to buy hiking gear, I need knowledge of hiking gear and money.
If I’m going to gain knowledge of hiking gear, I need to spend less time on Netflix and more time doing research about whether or not I can carry a kerosene stove in my backpack without blowing myself up. And if I’m going to have money to buy hiking gear, I need to reassess and commit to my budget.
Basically, I’ve realized anew that if I want to achieve my long-term goals, I need to invest in them. Now. Not later. Not someday. There are little things that I need to do every day to make my bucket list happen.
This is very hard. If you know me, you know I hate thinking about details in my own life. Schedule, budget, self-discipline…ugh, gag me with a moldy sock.
But as I look at my bucket list, I can tell the time and effort I put into working toward those goals won’t be wasted. Even if I never make it to the exact goals that I have in mind, working toward them will open up doors, possibilities, and options.
Not to mention, eliminate that horrible ghost, “If Only.” If only I had saved money for a trip, if only I had read more books, if only I had tried harder, etc.
So…
What about you? How do you work toward your long-term goals?
*This post brought to you by repetition of I Belong to You by Brandi Carlisle.
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